Dovetails in wood

Can anyone give me advice as to commercial jigs for making dovetails in wood as thin as 1/4". Most jigs seem to start at thicknesses in excess of 1/2".
BobH

Look at the Leigh jigs, not cheap but they work well and go down quite thin, you can also have one part thin and the other thick. I like mine.

Edited By JasonB on 06/09/2017 13:22:09

For through dovetails, can you not cut two sides at once if they're that thin, or perhaps use a scrap backing piece to make up the thickness to the minimum?

Usually the problem is getting the capacity to handle thick enough timber.

Jon

Axminster Tools seems to be a good place for woodworking equipment and tools.

www.axminster.co.uk

I have to say that I actually know nothing personally about Woodwork (except how to ruin it).

Edited By V8Eng on 06/09/2017 14:08:31

its been discontinued but I use the trend dc400 jig

You can find used examples on ebay from time to time its really good at all different thicknesses and allows you to space dovetails as you wish and through or lapped DT's

And box joints too

It can do thin 6mm or so up to 20mm

Thanks for the info, but the DC400 and its supercedant will only cut on material 19mm and thicker - I need about 7mm upwards. Jewel box trays etc.
BobH

I must chuck away all the boxes and projects i have made with my 3 dc400's as I've made them out of too thin wood then

Plus there's not a supercedant to the dc400

The Leigh ones will go down to 1/8" thick material and upto about 1.25" for through dovetails, see chart

Also take a look at the Gifkin Jigs, they will go down to 2mm but need a router tabel as you move the jig and work over the inverted tool, fixed spacing though.

Edited By JasonB on 06/09/2017 18:45:01

I have the Gifkin jigs. Very quick and easy to use.

I have an Arcoy jig to be disposed of but not sure (will check in the shed tomorrow) what sizes it covers.

rgds

Bill

Router Boss or WoodRat will both do narrow dovetails, pretty much indistinguishable* from hand-made.

Not cheap.

*cognoscenti excepted, obvs.

HTH

Edited By harold on 07/09/2017 11:33:45